


I'm Dreaming Of...

by bigblueboxat221b



Category: Come From Away - Sankoff & Hein
Genre: Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Long-Distance Friendship, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:47:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21936220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigblueboxat221b/pseuds/bigblueboxat221b
Summary: Diane's reflecting on the past year as her Christmas lights twinkle.
Relationships: Nick/Diane
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	I'm Dreaming Of...

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This is not RPF  
> While Nick and Diane in the musical are based on real people, this story is set strictly in the fictional representation of them in the musical, ‘Come From Away’. I haven’t done any research into their personal lives, and anything further than what is canon in the musical is completely made up, with the exception of some geographical details. This is not intended to represent the real life couple in any way, their thoughts, attitudes or actions. It’s just my brain saying, ‘what if?’, as it does to every story that resonates with me.

Diane sighed. While it did snow in Dallas, it wasn’t like the songs suggested, often melting before the day was out. And this year, all she could think was how different it was to London. Not that she’d ever been in London at Christmas, but she had fallen into the habit of looking at the weather in London each day. Finding out how white London’s Christmas would be.

How white Nick’s Christmas would be.

They’d talked a little since arriving back in Dallas. She still wondered if he’d meant to kiss her on the plane or not, but did not regret turning to meet him. He had kissed her back, so it can’t have been unwelcome. As they spent the rest of the flight quietly wrapped in each other, Diane wondered what would happen when it was all over. Neither had mentioned it when they arrived at Dallas, yet the memory of what might have been still coloured their phone conversations.

Though she shared most of what was happening in Dallas, Diane felt guilty that she hadn’t exactly tried to explain how different she felt now. She was trying to be interested in her life again, but everything lacked a certain spark. For his part, Nick told her he’d settled back into his work, finally convincing his boss he should travel less.

“Just to Dallas now,” he told her last time they spoke. “A few times a year. Someone else will take over Europe.”

“That’s good,” Diane replied. She desperately wanted to know when he was due back here but didn’t want to ask, and he didn’t offer the information, so the conversation moved on. From the sound of it, Nick would be taking vacation time over the holidays. All the time he was owed for his travel over the years had accrued and his boss was enforcing a couple of weeks off. Diane assumed he would be visiting his sister; Edinburgh was a little far for a weekend but Christmas was time for family.

“For those you love,” her sister had corrected, and Diane tried to smile and agree. That phrase…it conjured an image of a tall, kind Englishman, and that wasn’t the kind of thing she was prepared to admit to quite yet. She was sticking firmly to ‘for family’. It made things just a little easier, for the most part. There was still Christmas propaganda everywhere, reminding her of what could be…pictures of happy couples together, banners proclaiming ‘treat him to something special’. They hurt a little every time, reminding her of Nick, and Gander, and their time together.

+++

For all their ‘Christmas is for family’ rhetoric, both Diane’s sister and son had other plans on Christmas Eve this year. David and his girlfriend would be at her family’s house, and Alison always volunteered on Christmas Eve. Diane had been invited to both events, but they felt like pity invitations and she declined both. Instead a quiet evening in allowed her to reflect on the past year. Her house was decorated with the usual sprigs of holly and mistletoe, the tree in the front window gently winking at passing cars. David had patiently helped her with the lights on the front of the house, and she wondered if she would bother next year, with nobody here to appreciate it except her.

It was lovely, yet lonely.

After eating and cleaning up, Diane sat herself on the chair she liked best, where the tree was visible but not her main view. She could see the family photos from here, and with her glass of wine, allow thoughts to gently roam through her mind to be examined at will. Frank Sinatra sang quietly in the background. It was her favourite collection and usually the songs made her feel deeply connected to the season.

This year, it exacerbated her sense of loneliness. Since when had solitude been a problem? She’d spent a lot of time on her own before now, and only this season had it felt enforced rather than a choice. With a sigh and a sip of her wine, Diane carefully dismantled the barrier she’d placed around an idea, allowing it to take form in her mind. It felt awkward and out of place, but she sat with it, determined not to quash it anymore. This was the thing she’d been so reluctant to admit. Now, on Christmas Eve alone in her house, surely this was the time to be honest with herself.

She loved Nick. She wanted him close.

A shuddering indrawn breath, and Diane relaxed her shoulders. Now that it was an accepted fact, she wondered what came next. Should she tell him? Plan a vacation to visit him in London? Asking when he would next be coming to Dallas seemed like a good starting point. She could invite him over, cook dinner, and perhaps the conversation would flow from there.

The knock on the door startled her so much she almost dropped her wine glass.

Ten o’clock on Christmas Eve? Who visited at such an hour? She frowned, depositing her glass on the side table before standing to answer the door. Carol singers had been notably absent this year, and she wasn’t expecting anyone else. David would be staying with Simone, so it wouldn’t be him. Diane continued to throw out ideas as she walked, refusing to acknowledge the hope in her heart. It was ridiculous, and there was no way it could be…

“Nick,” she whispered, the cautiously opened door sagging wide as she stared, hardly able to believe it was him.

He looked apprehensively back at her. “Hello,” he said.

“Hi,” she replied. She was very aware of herself blinking, which was odd. Why was she so aware of that? The moment stretched out as she studied his face, glancing down at his suitcase, noting the shirt, different to what she remembered. He shifted uncomfortably, and Diane realised how inhospitable she was being. “Oh! Won’t you come in?” she said, opening the door properly.

He nodded and walked past into the hall, propping his suitcase out of the way. The waft of air as he passed smelled good, Diane noticed absently. Not exactly as she remembered, but they’d been using so many donated toiletries, it was bound to be an altered combination.

This was really him, though.

Diane closed the door, taking a second to lock it and collect her thoughts. The moment she turned back, though, and he filled her vision, her thoughts scattered once again.

“What are you doing here?” she whispered. Her fingers flexed, wanting to touch him. To check he was real, but she restrained herself. He could be here for a multitude of reasons, she told herself.

“I,” he hesitated. “Do you remember I told you my boss was making me take holidays?”

Diane nodded, her throat suddenly tight.

Nick shrugged. His face grew red, but he spoke clearly. “I was going to visit my sister, but she said…” he stopped.

“What?” Diane whispered, suddenly desperate to hear what this sister of his had said to change his mind.

“She said Christmas was for those you,” he swallowed, and when he spoke, the same word fell from Diane’s mouth without thinking.

“Love,” they said together.

Diane’s heart expanded, thumping hard as Nick’s eyes widened. This whole experience was still surreal, so Nick’s tentative revelation wasn’t that much extra on top of his actually being here. Carefully, she stepped forward, reaching out one hand. It settled on his chest, and the touch of the fabric made her inhale sharply.

“You’re really here,” Diane whispered. She seemed unable to raise her voice any louder.

“I am,” he agreed.

Glancing up, Diane noticed something. With a tiny smile, she pushed gently, then harder until he took two steps back.

“And you’re staying…a while?” she asked.

“Open ended ticket,” he admitted, flush creeping up his neck. “But I’m not due back until after the New Year.”

She nodded. “That’s a wonderful Christmas present.” Glancing up, she smiled, seeing Nick follow her gaze to settle on the mistletoe now directly above them. “Merry Christmas, Nick.”

“Merry Christmas, Diane,” he replied, his smile matching hers.

They met somewhere in the middle, the kiss as gentle as snow falling. There was time, and with the new understanding between them, no rush at all.


End file.
